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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Dragon and Timecode

Update!

Zaxcom has released 1.30 build, for ERX (1 & 2), which its less jitter than previously, into the 23.98, bearing in mind that the previous 23.98 signal was well within SMPTE apex. This is an accommodation, by Zaxcom, the result of which is that 24fps and higher, all synch, with my Dragon, from ERX, but 23.98 still does not sync. Now, this is a reader issue, at RED's end, as the 29.97, with jitter is a smaller signal than 23.98 and should be easier for Dragon to read. We could go into the reasons for jitter or not, but since Zaxcom and other Tc generators, are outputting signals that are within SMPTE spec, RED needs to and will provide a fix, on their end.

Now we must wait for RED's fix.

Thank you very much

Fury
 
Nick Fury said:
We could go into the reasons for jitter or not, but since Zaxcom and other Tc generators, are outputting signals that are within SMPTE spec, RED needs to and will provide a fix, on their end.

Now we must wait for RED's fix.

Thank you very much

Fury
Click to expand...

Well ... RED doesn't NEED to. But ... hopefully they can and will accommodate. ZAXCOM is currently the ONLY device that doesn't jam and while they may be "in SMPTE spec" often a spec is technical definition based on what is available at the time the spec is written - and many times - the "bar" raises faster than the "spec".

But sure Nick ... we all want it to work ... but it's a little goofy to me to try to point fingers at RED on this one. Seriously.
 
Hi Mark!

Yikes!

Please note, that it is by RED's own admission that there is a change, in the hardware, with Dragon that is the problem. I was simply trying to, in a factual manner, state what I was told. I guess I am the messenger though and the good deed has just had its just rewa...

BTW, there are other devices that have been reported, here and elsewhere, including, from RED tech to me, that did not sync with Dragon at 23.98. Do you know if there have been other devices that did have such difficulty, but now do not? I don't want to belabor this, but if you know of such, that may be of some value, for a more universal fix.

Thank you very much, I think

Fury
 
GREAT NEWS!!

Dragon build 5.2.28 takes TC @ 23.98, from Zaxcom ERX, IF 2.0 volts output, from ERX or greater on quick test. More testing to ome...

Thank you very much

Fury
 
That is good news -- that this problem is finally solved! Congrats to all involved.
 
Hello all, we're still having problems getting our timecode to sync at 23.98 and 24 frames, regardless of ERX timecode voltage. It syncs fine at 25 fps and above, but we really need it to sync at 23.98 so we don't have to slate every shot.

Our Dragon is running v5.2.28, our Zaxcom Nomad is running v7.10, and our ERX is running v1.25 (These are all the most up to date release builds). Does anyone have any idea what our problem is, and if or when a fix will be released?

Thanks a ton
 
Hi Keith,

Please find the ERX build 1.33, from Zaxcom and I think you will have joy.

Thank you very much

Fury
 
Hi Keith,

You have to be registered on Zaxcom's site. Then, logged in, forum, downloads ERX (no worries that it has a date something like 2012), and select 1.33 Beta, if you are willing to run Beta.

Thank you very much

Fury
 
I have had success jamming the Dragon (build 5.2.26 or 5.2.28) directly at 23.98 from a Deneke Sync Box and the Zaxcom Nomad. But I wasn't happy with that, as I have ongoing concerns about timecode drift with Red cameras. I use Zaxcom ERX2TCD's to feed cameras both sound and timecode. I love the size, and the fact that the camera is constantly being fed timecode, thus eliminating the possibility of any drift. But I couldn't get the Dragon to grab the timecode from the ERX2TCD at all at 23.98. I tried every different timecode voltage on the ERX2TCD and it made no difference (I usually have it set to .5 volts). Then on a whim, I set the ERX2TCD to 29.97ND timecode and plugged it into the camera. The camera instantly locked up and maintained timecode lock for days with any problems. To be clear the Dragon was still set to a project frame rate of 23.98 and the jammed timecode was running at 23.98, but the timecode signal coming out of the ERX2TCD was 29.97ND. The Nomad recorder was still set to 23.98, and was broadcasting at this rate to the ERX2TCD's. I have some thoughts, but no real technical explanation for why this works, but it does. This is an easily workable solution for Zaxcom users, but anyone struggling with jamming a Dragon from other devices should consider trying cross-jamming in this fashion as a fix. I'm suspicious it will work for 24fps/30fps as well, but haven't tested that theory. Good hunting.
 
Dwight Rhodes said:
To be clear the Dragon was still set to a project frame rate of 23.98 and the jammed timecode was running at 23.98, but the timecode signal coming out of the ERX2TCD was 29.97ND. The Nomad recorder was still set to 23.98, and was broadcasting at this rate to the ERX2TCD's. I have some thoughts, but no real technical explanation for why this works, but it does.
Click to expand...
Yes, cross-jamming will generally work since the minutes and seconds are still common between integer frame rates. In other words, if you're at 23.98, 29.97NDF code will work, and if you're at 24.000fps, 30NDF code will work. At worst, wait until the minute boundary crosses (one minute to the next) and it should "in theory" jam. Ideally, you should do a test and check visible slate code, camera file timecode, and sound file timecode to make sure all is well.

In a perfect world, all three (camera, slate, sound recorder) should be set to the same timecode frame rate. A Red camera will lock to the Denecke SB-T box just as well as it wound a wireless solution like an ERX box. The advantage of the Denecke box is that you'd also have Genlock capability, which is a good idea for multiple camera shoots.
 
Hi Dwight

Please be dure to reinstall build 1.33 on the ERX and set to 2 volts. Please report back

thank you very much

fury
 
Last edited:
Hi Dwight,

Did you try my suggestion?

Thank you very much

Fury
 
Any one else having a camera lockup when receiving timecode at 29.97? Camera…Epic X Dragon Firmware 5.3.9 . Works great at 23.98 from SD mixer…ambient …or buddy but at 29.97 camera freezes after you cut the first take. went thru the usual suspects …cable, connectors, signals on multiple sources… Camera runs fine in 29.97 but as soon as you lock up a TC signal to it…..Crashes after you cut.

I think this is a beta firmware so maybe its been fixed?

Thanks
 
not sure if this is the right place to post, but i will give it a try:

i am having problems syncing the dragon to external timecode - i tried to connect a sound devices 633 tc out to the dragon input, but i seems like the dragon is not reading the tc at all. tc in on the lcd is grey. i tried different sync boxes (e.g. tentacle) and it didn't work either. if i feed the tc from the sound devices TC out to the tentacle box and then the tentacle box to an audio channel and apply a read LTC command in Avid Mediacomposer i can auto sync dragon picture with external sound recorder.

any hints?
best wishes and kind regards,
martin
 
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